I hate to rain on the USGA’s “While We’re Young” campaign to combat slow play, but it shows you how out of touch the blue bloods in Far Hills really are. Although it’s a cult classic for people of my generation, the movie is more than 30 years old. The “While we’re young” line from the movie, which was actually Rodney Dangerfield’s “Let’s go while we’re young,” doesn’t have any context in the USGA’s public service ads that feature Arnold Palmer, Tiger Woods, Clint Eastwood, Paula Creamer and Annika Sorenstam.
Rodney Dangerfield as Al Czervik
Moreover, the ads tell us a problem we already know exists but offer us no solutions.
Most of today’s players – young and old – don’t know or don’t remember that line. It wasn’t one of the better ones delivered by Dangerfield (as obnoxious Al Czervik), Ted Knight (as pompous Judge Smails) or Billy Murray (as deranged assistant groundskeeper Carl Spackler). I bet most young players don’t even know the movie.
The ad featuring Eastwood and Palmer is okay because its plays off Clint’s tough-guy image; but the one with Woods hints that Eldrick plays slow. And the bratty kids behind him are exactly what golf courses don’t want.
You get a nice product shot of Woods’ Nike Method putter, though.
